State of the Community Address

Signs of the times point to the endtimes – though the Lord’s time is not the way we look at time

Assault on Church up to Pope – these are critical times

Even our country’s battle against the RH Bill is impt. We know where it is going – abortion. The US is pressuring us to pass it, and the US is promoting LGBT rights – overconfidence of the US. The very life of our nation is at threat.

The only one standing up against these threats is the Catholic Church. So the attacks on Church are great.

We need to intensify our mission! What is the purpose of our existence? We are right in the middle of a spiritual war. We are thankful for that – our lives have more significance.

The most important and critical response we can do with our life in CFC FFL.

5 Cs.

1. Christ – we live for Christ. We need to meet Christ, live Christ and share Christ. Continuing process as we focus on Christ. Meet Christ and enter into a personal relationship with Him. Live out that personal relationship – growing into maturity / become like Christ / grow in holiness. Share Christ – called to be witnesses. Share through evangelization. Can only happen in the power of the Holy Spirit. Church is the only one left standing in pro-life fight, but many in Church are nominal: need for evangelization!

2. Conversion – world is dominated by the evil one. The world is the battle ground, the fishing pool. And it won’t be easy to penetrate into this darkness. Need for total turn-around: metanoia. But continuous struggle: need for confession and support. The Lord wants a deepening into His life: a total change – lifestyle: becoming simpler to make available resources for the work of God. Understand and enter deeply into Servant Leadership. Reality of Spiritual Warfare: need of weapons – Prayer, Fasting and Good Works. Continuing conversion of mind, heart and whole being. Goal: Christian perfection – a call to be Saints.

3. Covenant – Christ wants continuous conversion, so enters into a covenant with us. God enters a deep, personal relationship with humans – seen through a great Theophany in Jesus’ death (earthquake, etc). ‘I call them to Myself and have a purpose for them’: this relationship is the covenant. We need to respond, and be made suitable instruments for His work in the world. We need to live out what we agreed to live out, or there will be serious consequences. God depends on us: if we do it, there will be a great harvest. If not, God’s heart breaks. When we are faithful, God uses us and equips us – and so makes us strong. Do consequences mean God is harsh? No. Because it is about covenant. He gave us everything, we should not withhold that ‘one talent’ – or there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. How often do you look at your Covenant Card? Read it and think about it! And reflect! How faithful am I?

4. Community – covenant is with a people. One body with Christ as the head. Pooling of gifts – each one is given a gift by the Holy Spirit for the work of the body. Everyone has a part! If you don’t use your gift, the work of the body is incomplete. Pooling all gifts make community powerful and it becomes a powerful work. The witness of a people is very crucial! Not just a few but an ever-growing body. The world can explain the witness of a few, but not of a growing body. All are needed for the one work of evangelization and family renewal. If we all live community (not thinking that other people will do the work) then we will see the fruit of evangelization. Early Christians: common vision, shared everything, fellowship, worship – light of Christ was shining forth. Result: everyday the Lord added to their number those that were being saved. Don’t absent yourself from community. Little acts of faithfulness determine how strong and faithful community will be and bring us to the fruits and see changed lives.

5. Commitment – all 4 Cs bring us to commitment. Christ, Conversion, Covenant, Community leads to Commitment. We have given our lives. Standard of Christ! We know it is difficult and we will fall short, but we say ‘Lord, that’s what I want!’ Critical because what we are doing is important. Until the end of time! Needed is ENDURANCE. In for the long haul! Includes suffering. Go all the way for the Lord, to embrace the Cross. Persecution of Christians is coming because of the anti-life forces of the world. There is a real threat against religious freedom today – most especially against the Catholic Church. We rejoice! The mission is propelled with the blood of the martyrs. Commitment increases with oppression. With no problems, commitment decreases. We need to prepare. The good things in community are fruits, but not why we should be in community. We are called to greater endurance and perseverance. We are not here because of people, we are here for Christ! We have no rights, we are slaves of Christ. Focus on your responsibility – what you need to do – and not on your rights. Total giving of youself to Him.

After 30 years of hearing all this, it is time for our lives to go deeper into all this.

No time to lose! We need to intensify what the Lord has given to us.

You heard it all before, now LIVE IT OUT!

New evangelization. Evangelization is not new, because we proclaim the same Gospel of Jesus. What is new is the method, like media!

New Evangelization

1. Reality: elements of evangelization are not being lived out. Many Catholics are not aware or do not practice what they should be practicing. That’s also new evangelization: living out what you are supposed to be living out! And this is what we have been prepared for over 30 years.

99% of Catholics do not have lives that are Centered of Christ.

2. Empowerment of the Laity. Not only in the Temporal order (politics, business, etc.) But we should also be involved in the battle for souls – which some clergy do not see yet. That’s also the New Evangelization.

About a life of holiness and being a missionary! Giving whole life for Christ.

This is the call to the Lay People.

3. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit. Natural for us, but not natural for a lot in the world. Spirit of Pentecost. Not everyone understands that, like Praying in Tongues.

4. Founded on Family Renewal, and in this time: Pro-Life. And our theme in 2012: Choose Life. Many good works, but we need to focus on renewing the family and defending life. Need to do our part: strengthen our own family and promote the culture of life.

5. Role of Mary. We consecrated ourselves to Mary 4 years ago. Not just devotion but a realization of Mary’s role in everything we are called to do: in family and life. Mary is also in the middle of Spiritual Warfare, but she also is the one who has stepped on the serpent’s head.

Don’t be jaded! We have heard these things before. This is what we are now. This is what we are participating in. We have received much, but how much have we given of ourselves? How much commitment do we have?

Rejoice in our call. Great joy when we have a call from the Lord. This joy should translate in our lives. We should give so much more of ourselves!

The Lord is a hard task master because he wants the salvation of the world, and He loves us so much and favors us so much.